5 minute read
Create, change, maintain. Parted.
My next guests need no introduction. In the span of two years they have trailblazed the Namibian hair scene, fostered a loyal following both online and in their unisex salon space and most noteworthy: they brought back the mullet. Nobody thought it to be possible. Parted Hair is the love-child of two ridiculously ambitious hairdressers – Viggo and Jamie von Scheliha. Together with their talented band of hair magicians, Parted is chopping off the split ends and blow-drying a whole new approach into the Namibian hair scene.
Like most wonderful stories, this one begins with love. First and foremost a love for hair, which brought Parted’s co-founders together while studying in the Western Cape. Viggo and Jamie hustled the Cape Town salon scene, did numerous house calls and finally found their niche in 2017 – uniting the male and female salon experience under one roof.
The men’s and women’s hairdresser setup has always been mutually exclusive, most probably due to the practicality of catering to a single sex and their hair experience desires. And yet, what could be more practical, in this day and age, than to bring men’s and women’s hair into a single space? What could be more with-it than creating a cool collaborative space where men’s and women’s hair can be celebrated and shared? Name it, I will wait.
After successfully running their unisex hair shop in the Mother City and starting a family, Parted made the big move to Namibia at a time when absolutely nobody was cutting their hair. Lockdown. But like a phoenix rising from the offcuts on the salon floor, Viggo and Jamie opened their shop in Windhoek on 6 September 2020. Ever since they hopped onto the scene, you simply cannot ignore them. Parted’s social media presence, along with their incredibly talented team, is what sets them apart from the rest.
44It is not the yuppy kind of social media presence though, it is their portfolio displayed in perfect squares, exciting video content, giveaways and challenges. While chatting to Viggo and Jamie I recall a time when I sat in a hairdresser’s chair – one I had never been to before, and the lady next to me complimented me on my bravery. Needless to say my bravery was wasted. A stylist butchered the bangs I was sporting at the time, so much so I decided to grow them out entirely and I am still recovering from the PTSD. If you are visiting Parted for the first time, there is no need to gamble with your hair. Every stylist’s work is featured on their Instagram @parted.hair so you can browse the ample talent and book with a hairdresser who matches your vibe. Deciding on which hairdresser to go to should be based on their portfolio, not your bravery.
Parted prides itself on its three principles: create, change, maintain. But it is so much more than just hair philosophy. Hairdressers are also our part-time psychologists in more ways than just oversharing with your barber. At Parted it is about creating your unique identity, changing the bits that need some work, and maintaining the love-affair with yourself and your hair. Viggo says “Parted” means parting with your old self and emerging bolder, better and ever more confident with every cut.
When asking the co-founders about the feathers they have undoubtedly ruffled in the industry, Viggo frankly says, “If you are original enough, if you are unique and bring something different to the table, there is no competition.” Jamie adds that they do what they do, and how they do it, not to claim carte blanche of the industry, but to push Namibians to be a little ballsy with their hair, and for the local hairdressing industry to develop as a collective.
Their approach speaks for the next generation of Namibians who feel most alive when outside their comfort zone. It speaks to a new era of hairstyles, stylists and subsequent swag. Parted is as much for the everyday hairdo, as it is for the absolutely outlandish. Viggo, Jamie and their cast of energetic hair stylists really believe that hairstyling is art, a lifestyle.
Very much like the mullet, Parted is business in the front, and a party in the back.
Charene Labuschagne
This photoshoot was a collaboration between Parted Hair and FlyNamibia Magazine’s content team. Head over to @flynamibia_magazine on Instagram for behind the scenes videos and posts.
Hair by @parted_hair Makeup by @missjeyarts_makeup Photography by Le Roux van Schalkwyk Art Direction by Charene Labuschagne Video by Ruairi Hammond
